Mexico–Portugal Forum Focuses on Climate, Urban Resilience

Mexico and Portugal held a Binational Engineering Forum to exchange best practices on demographic change, the energy transition, industrial transformation and climate resilience. The event, hosted by the Mexican Senate on Jan. 15, 2026, was inaugurated by Sen. Lorenia Iveth Valles Sampedro (Morena).

The forum was conceived as a bilateral dialogue to foster collaboration between Mexico and Portugal in the engineering sector, particularly in response to demographic shifts, energy transition challenges, industrial development, evolving global trade dynamics and climate risks. Speakers from both delegations agreed that closer cooperation could support the development of sustainable and resilient infrastructure in both countries.

In her opening remarks, Valles stressed that economic growth must prioritize social welfare and environmental responsibility amid accelerating global change. “In the face of major shifts in the international environment, it is essential that economic growth prioritizes social well-being and responsibility toward the environment,” she said. She also highlighted the importance of multidisciplinary approaches to urban development and long-term planning. “The world requires constructive, multidisciplinary reflections that lead to actions capable of transforming cities and ensuring orderly growth, with employment, housing and education,” she added.

Portugal’s ambassador to Mexico, Manuel Carvalho, underscored the importance of strengthening bilateral ties and business collaboration, particularly in engineering, a sector in which both countries have strong capabilities. He noted that engineering plays a critical role in protecting human life, especially in cities located in seismic zones, and highlighted Mexico’s experience in developing large-scale infrastructure projects.

Fernando Manuel de Almeida Santos, bastonário of the Order of Engineers of Portugal, said Mexico’s current institutional stability creates favorable conditions for bilateral agreements and cooperation frameworks. He added that both countries possess the diplomatic and technical capacity to deepen industrial interaction and generate long-term partnerships.

Both Valles and Carvalho pointed to Plan México as a key instrument for promoting industrial development through infrastructure investment. Introduced in January 2025, the plan outlines a national infrastructure strategy aimed at strengthening regional development, improving connectivity and supporting long-term economic growth through large-scale public and mixed-investment projects.

Plan México includes MX$115 billion (US$5.55 billion) in road investments covering 1,980 kilometers of highway interventions between 2025 and 2030. Priority projects include the Salina Cruz–Zihuatanejo corridor, with MX$28.2 billion allocated for 478 kilometers, and the Toluca–Zihuatanejo route, with MX$18.5 billion for 317 kilometers. Additional corridors include Cuautla–Tlapa–Marquelia, Pachuca–Huejutla–Tamazunchale, Ciudad Valles–Tampico, and Saltillo–Monclova.

The plan also outlines 5,647 kilometers of passenger rail projects across 24 states, supported by an estimated MX$1.24 trillion in investment and expected to generate 3.6 million jobs. Priority routes include Mexico City–Nuevo Laredo, Mexico City–Nogales, Mexico City–Queretaro, Queretaro–Irapuato and Saltillo–Nuevo Laredo, as well as Line K of the Interoceanic Train and cargo operations on the Mayan Train. President Claudia Sheinbaum has said the model will rely on mixed public-private investment to share risks and returns.

In the water sector, Plan México contemplates investments of up to US$20 billion in public water infrastructure by 2025, including 17 major projects expected to benefit 31 million people. Measures include the modernization of irrigation systems across 200,000 hectares, sanitation of major river basins, and efforts to secure water supply for human consumption and food production.